food
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What is the difference between a Denver omelette and a Western omelette?
Our guess
The Western has pepper jack cheese and possibly tomatoes; the Denver has cheddar.
The Western has pepper jack cheese and possibly tomatoes; the Denver has cheddar.
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The answer
There are no firm rules; both are ham, onion and green pepper builds with many variations.
There are no firm rules; both are ham, onion and green pepper builds with many variations.
Verdict wrong
Where does the phrase "humble pie" come from?
Episode 8: Put That In Your Pope (00:39)
Our guess
A pie made from leftover scraps that poor people ate, so eating it is humbling.
A pie made from leftover scraps that poor people ate, so eating it is humbling.
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The answer
From "umble pie", a pie of deer innards (heart, liver, lungs, kidneys), from French "nomble". The H crept in as the phrase was reinterpreted as "humble", so the two words are etymologically unrelated.
From "umble pie", a pie of deer innards (heart, liver, lungs, kidneys), from French "nomble". The H crept in as the phrase was reinterpreted as "humble", so the two words are etymologically unrelated.
Verdict partly
What is the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?
Episode 17: I Yam What I Yam (00:30)
Our guess
Possibly the same thing with regional names, a marketing ploy, or closely related vegetables.
Possibly the same thing with regional names, a marketing ploy, or closely related vegetables.
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The answer
They are different plants. True yams (genus Dioscorea) are native to Africa, starchy, dry, white-fleshed and bark-skinned, while sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family. Most US "yams" are soft sweet potatoes; the mix-up goes back to the African word "nyami".
They are different plants. True yams (genus Dioscorea) are native to Africa, starchy, dry, white-fleshed and bark-skinned, while sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family. Most US "yams" are soft sweet potatoes; the mix-up goes back to the African word "nyami".
Verdict partly
Where does the word "picnic" come from?
Our guess
French, and more recent than medieval; one host guessed the early 1800s, another Hungarian.
French, and more recent than medieval; one host guessed the early 1800s, another Hungarian.
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The answer
From French "piquenique", first recorded in 1692 and likely from "piquer" (to pick) and "nique" (a trifle). It entered English in 1748 via Lord Chesterfield. A popular folk etymology, "pick a niche", is debated.
From French "piquenique", first recorded in 1692 and likely from "piquer" (to pick) and "nique" (a trifle). It entered English in 1748 via Lord Chesterfield. A popular folk etymology, "pick a niche", is debated.
Verdict right
Where do "soda jerk" and "jerk" (the insult) come from?
Our guess
Over-caffeinated teens being jerks, or a soda attendant jerking the lever.
Over-caffeinated teens being jerks, or a soda attendant jerking the lever.
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The answer
"Soda jerk" is from the motion of pulling the fountain's draft arm (about 1915, popular in the 20s-30s). "Jerk" for a sharp twist is recorded in the 1570s, from a stroke of a whip, and the insult may come from the railroad term "jerk-water town".
"Soda jerk" is from the motion of pulling the fountain's draft arm (about 1915, popular in the 20s-30s). "Jerk" for a sharp twist is recorded in the 1570s, from a stroke of a whip, and the insult may come from the railroad term "jerk-water town".
Verdict partly
What is a "live caviar experience"?
Episode 49: Fish Conception (01:08)
Our guess
A sturgeon is opened up in front of you and the eggs are scooped out and eaten fresh, perhaps with locals on a dock.
A sturgeon is opened up in front of you and the eggs are scooped out and eaten fresh, perhaps with locals on a dock.
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The answer
No definitive answer was found. The hosts learned that "no-kill caviar" is a newer trend in which the sturgeon is massaged to release eggs, and that caviar was prized by Greek, Roman and Russian elites, with the priciest from a 100-year-old fish at about $1,000 an ounce.
No definitive answer was found. The hosts learned that "no-kill caviar" is a newer trend in which the sturgeon is massaged to release eggs, and that caviar was prized by Greek, Roman and Russian elites, with the priciest from a 100-year-old fish at about $1,000 an ounce.
Verdict unresolved
Why are they called "bread and butter pickles"?
Episode 54: #Blessed (00:32)
Our guess
A basic, everyday staple pickle (your "bread and butter"), probably a cheap, sweeter Depression-era sandwich pickle.
A basic, everyday staple pickle (your "bread and butter"), probably a cheap, sweeter Depression-era sandwich pickle.
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The answer
The name comes from Omar and Cora Fanning, Illinois cucumber farmers who sold sweet and sour pickles in the 1920s and trademarked "Fanning's Bread and Butter Pickle" in 1923. They were a cheap staple during the Depression.
The name comes from Omar and Cora Fanning, Illinois cucumber farmers who sold sweet and sour pickles in the 1920s and trademarked "Fanning's Bread and Butter Pickle" in 1923. They were a cheap staple during the Depression.
Verdict right
What makes a "kosher" pickle kosher?
Episode 54: #Blessed (03:51)
Our guess
That it has been blessed by a rabbi or prepared in a kosher kitchen.
That it has been blessed by a rabbi or prepared in a kosher kitchen.
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The answer
A kosher dill pickle is not necessarily kosher in the dietary-law sense; the term refers to the traditional style of Jewish New York City pickle makers, using garlic and dill.
A kosher dill pickle is not necessarily kosher in the dietary-law sense; the term refers to the traditional style of Jewish New York City pickle makers, using garlic and dill.
Verdict partly
What is the history of the jack-o'-lantern, and why do we carve pumpkins?
Our guess
A Celtic Halloween tradition carried to America by immigrants, with pumpkins an easy surplus gourd.
A Celtic Halloween tradition carried to America by immigrants, with pumpkins an easy surplus gourd.
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The answer
It comes from the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, who was doomed to roam with a coal in a hollowed turnip, and from the will-o'-the-wisp lights over peat bogs. The custom of carving them for Halloween began in Ireland in the 19th century, and immigrants switched to pumpkins in America.
It comes from the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, who was doomed to roam with a coal in a hollowed turnip, and from the will-o'-the-wisp lights over peat bogs. The custom of carving them for Halloween began in Ireland in the 19th century, and immigrants switched to pumpkins in America.
Verdict right
Where does the phrase "let's blow this popsicle stand" come from?
Episode 68: Abundance of Corn (00:33)
Our guess
A 1950s teen hangout phrase, like a soda shop, meaning to leave a boring place.
A 1950s teen hangout phrase, like a soda shop, meaning to leave a boring place.
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The answer
No definitive origin was found. One source says it came from teens at a drugstore soda fountain (a "pop stand") in the 1950s; the popsicle itself was invented in 1924.
No definitive origin was found. One source says it came from teens at a drugstore soda fountain (a "pop stand") in the 1950s; the popsicle itself was invented in 1924.
Verdict partly
What is the difference between polenta and grits?
Our guess
Both are cornmeal, differing by how they are cooked, the time of day, or the region.
Both are cornmeal, differing by how they are cooked, the time of day, or the region.
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The answer
Both are cornmeal. Polenta is coarser ground yellow corn from Italian cuisine, while grits is a finer grind of white corn (hominy) and is a Southern American dish.
Both are cornmeal. Polenta is coarser ground yellow corn from Italian cuisine, while grits is a finer grind of white corn (hominy) and is a Southern American dish.
Verdict right
Where does the phrase "dollars to donuts" come from?
Episode 75: Too Hot to Handle (00:35)
Our guess
A confident bet of dollars against a cheap donut, from the early to mid 20th century.
A confident bet of dollars against a cheap donut, from the early to mid 20th century.
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The answer
The meaning was right but the timing was early: it is an American phrase, one of several "dollars to..." forms (dollars to buttons, 1884), with an 1876 Nevada newspaper citation. Donuts trace to Dutch settlers' oil cakes.
The meaning was right but the timing was early: it is an American phrase, one of several "dollars to..." forms (dollars to buttons, 1884), with an 1876 Nevada newspaper citation. Donuts trace to Dutch settlers' oil cakes.
Verdict partly
What is the difference between a cobbler and a crumble?
Episode 82: Pie Frenzy (00:31)
Our guess
Mostly the crust: a cobbler has a bready or lattice top, a crumble has a crumbly top, neither has a bottom crust.
Mostly the crust: a cobbler has a bready or lattice top, a crumble has a crumbly top, neither has a bottom crust.
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The answer
A cobbler is a deep-dish baked fruit dessert with a thick drop-biscuit or pie-dough topping. A crumble has a streusel-like topping of flour, sugar, butter, often with oats or nuts, and a crisp is similar. Neither has a bottom crust, unlike a pie.
A cobbler is a deep-dish baked fruit dessert with a thick drop-biscuit or pie-dough topping. A crumble has a streusel-like topping of flour, sugar, butter, often with oats or nuts, and a crisp is similar. Neither has a bottom crust, unlike a pie.
Verdict partly
Is horseradish actually a radish, and why is it called horseradish?
Episode 84: Rad-ish (01:42)
Our guess
A root vegetable related to radishes from Asia or Europe, named for being a strong, coarse "horse" version of a radish, or from a mistranslation.
A root vegetable related to radishes from Asia or Europe, named for being a strong, coarse "horse" version of a radish, or from a mistranslation.
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The answer
Both are in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) but are different species. Horseradish is probably native to southeastern Europe or western Asia, and the English word dates to the 1590s, with "horse" meaning strong or coarse. One theory is a mix-up with the German "meerrettich" (sea radish).
Both are in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) but are different species. Horseradish is probably native to southeastern Europe or western Asia, and the English word dates to the 1590s, with "horse" meaning strong or coarse. One theory is a mix-up with the German "meerrettich" (sea radish).
Verdict partly
Where does the word "punch" (the drink) come from?
Episode 86: Blow My Skull (00:33)
Our guess
From a strong rum drink that packed a punch, from Victorian England or the Caribbean.
From a strong rum drink that packed a punch, from Victorian England or the Caribbean.
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The answer
It's a loanword from Hindi, "panch" (five), for a drink with five ingredients (spirit, sugar, lemon, water or tea, and spices), brought from India to England in the early 17th century. It is first recorded in 1632, with Jamaican rum entering around 1655. A second theory ties it to a barrel size.
It's a loanword from Hindi, "panch" (five), for a drink with five ingredients (spirit, sugar, lemon, water or tea, and spices), brought from India to England in the early 17th century. It is first recorded in 1632, with Jamaican rum entering around 1655. A second theory ties it to a barrel size.
Verdict wrong
Where does the restaurant term "86" come from?
Episode 132: Everybody Poops (01:13)
Our guess
Restaurant ordering codes, a nautical term related to "deep six", or 1910s mobster or police code.
Restaurant ordering codes, a nautical term related to "deep six", or 1910s mobster or police code.
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The answer
The origin is unknown. Theories include 86 Bedford Street (a Prohibition-era bar with a crooked cop), the dimensions of a grave (8 feet by 6 feet), Article 86 of the military code (AWOL), the F-86 jet, rhyming slang for "nix", and 86-proof liquor.
The origin is unknown. Theories include 86 Bedford Street (a Prohibition-era bar with a crooked cop), the dimensions of a grave (8 feet by 6 feet), Article 86 of the military code (AWOL), the F-86 jet, rhyming slang for "nix", and 86-proof liquor.
Verdict unresolved
Where does the phrase "upper crust" (for the wealthy) come from?
Our guess
Fancy pastry or a pie metaphor for social classes, from France in the mid-1700s, Victorian or Gilded Age times.
Fancy pastry or a pie metaphor for social classes, from France in the mid-1700s, Victorian or Gilded Age times.
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The answer
The earliest use is from the literal upper crust of bread, in John Russell's Book of Nurture (around 1460). It was also used for the earth's crust and for a person's head or hat, and it came to refer to the aristocracy in the 19th century (1823).
The earliest use is from the literal upper crust of bread, in John Russell's Book of Nurture (around 1460). It was also used for the earth's crust and for a person's head or hat, and it came to refer to the aristocracy in the 19th century (1823).
Verdict partly
Where does the phrase "that's the way the cookie crumbles" come from?
Episode 141: Easy Access (00:37)
Our guess
British, Victorian or Shakespearean, perhaps related to fortune cookies or fate.
British, Victorian or Shakespearean, perhaps related to fortune cookies or fate.
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The answer
It is chiefly American and has been used since the mid-1900s, with a 1955 newspaper column as an early example. Urban Dictionary suggests it was slang from the 1920s with an unknown origin.
It is chiefly American and has been used since the mid-1900s, with a 1955 newspaper column as an early example. Urban Dictionary suggests it was slang from the 1920s with an unknown origin.
Verdict wrong
Why is a rice cooker cup a different size from a measuring cup?
Episode 151: No Pressure (02:35)
Our guess
The rice cooker's "cup" is really a scoop or a metric-based unit, translated as "cup", perhaps from Japan.
The rice cooker's "cup" is really a scoop or a metric-based unit, translated as "cup", perhaps from Japan.
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The answer
A rice cooker cup is about 180 ml, while a US cup is about 240 ml. The rice cooker uses a traditional Japanese measure (similar in volume to a sake cup), so the two are not interchangeable.
A rice cooker cup is about 180 ml, while a US cup is about 240 ml. The rice cooker uses a traditional Japanese measure (similar in volume to a sake cup), so the two are not interchangeable.
Verdict right
How can there be seedless fruit, and how does it reproduce?
Our guess
Crossbreeding and genetic engineering produce seedless fruit, and clones keep the plants going.
Crossbreeding and genetic engineering produce seedless fruit, and clones keep the plants going.
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The answer
Seedless grapes began as a natural mutation (known since ancient Rome) and fruit plants are propagated from cuttings or grafting, so they are genetic clones. Seedless watermelons are triploid (three sets of chromosomes) from crossing a diploid with a tetraploid, which makes them unable to reproduce.
Seedless grapes began as a natural mutation (known since ancient Rome) and fruit plants are propagated from cuttings or grafting, so they are genetic clones. Seedless watermelons are triploid (three sets of chromosomes) from crossing a diploid with a tetraploid, which makes them unable to reproduce.
Verdict right
Why is raising a glass called a "toast"?
Episode 167: Cooked Bread (00:06)
Our guess
Bread and wine were connected early on, possibly from bread cooked and added to drinks, with Shakespeare or Romans involved.
Bread and wine were connected early on, possibly from bread cooked and added to drinks, with Shakespeare or Romans involved.
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The answer
In the 16th century a piece of spiced, scorched toast was commonly put in wine to soften bad flavor and stale bread. Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor has "put a toast in it", and drinking someone's health as a "toast" is recorded among 18th-century university students. Toastmasters appeared in the 17th and 18th centuries.
In the 16th century a piece of spiced, scorched toast was commonly put in wine to soften bad flavor and stale bread. Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor has "put a toast in it", and drinking someone's health as a "toast" is recorded among 18th-century university students. Toastmasters appeared in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Verdict right
Where does the phrase "just desserts" come from?
Our guess
A poetic phrase, maybe Shakespearean, about getting what you deserve at the end of the meal, perhaps related to a pie in the face.
A poetic phrase, maybe Shakespearean, about getting what you deserve at the end of the meal, perhaps related to a pie in the face.
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The answer
The word is "deserts" (what one deserves, with one s) from Old French "deservir" (to serve well), and it is unrelated to the sweet course. It is recorded in the early 1500s (a Nicholas Udall translation of Erasmus), before "dessert" came into use.
The word is "deserts" (what one deserves, with one s) from Old French "deservir" (to serve well), and it is unrelated to the sweet course. It is recorded in the early 1500s (a Nicholas Udall translation of Erasmus), before "dessert" came into use.
Verdict partly
Is chili a soup or a stew?
Episode 190: Viscosity (00:40)
Our guess
A stew, because it's thicker and cooked down rather than liquid-based.
A stew, because it's thicker and cooked down rather than liquid-based.
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The answer
Technically a stew: soup is liquid-based (ingredients submerged), while stew is thicker with just enough liquid to cover the ingredients. Chili is often considered a type of stew, with Tex-Mex origins.
Technically a stew: soup is liquid-based (ingredients submerged), while stew is thicker with just enough liquid to cover the ingredients. Chili is often considered a type of stew, with Tex-Mex origins.
Verdict right
Where does 'soup to nuts' come from?
Our guess
The first and last courses of a meal (Joey), or nuts and bolts / industrial revolution (Harper, Coalson)
The first and last courses of a meal (Joey), or nuts and bolts / industrial revolution (Harper, Coalson)
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The answer
Soup is the first course and nuts the last; the Roman 'ab ovo usque ad mala' (eggs to apples) is a predecessor. The specific phrase 'soup to nuts' is American, from the early 1900s.
Soup is the first course and nuts the last; the Roman 'ab ovo usque ad mala' (eggs to apples) is a predecessor. The specific phrase 'soup to nuts' is American, from the early 1900s.
Verdict right